artfull dodger
Registered
I find lots of pics of the Austrian ones sporting 3 headlights as well, not all the time but seen several pics of them with all 3, atleast in museum/tourist operation. Mike
Opnions on a LGB 2073 Eurovapor U class 0-6-2
- Thread starter artfull dodger
- Start date
U Class do track round R1's & S curves with no problem at all and they pull well,
run slow and steady, and dont have problems with LGB R! or R3 points
well not on any of mine (40+)
A bit of TLC on a regular basis keeps them running smooth.
I have two older style with metal side rods (no box's)
10 Bachmann wagons + LGB caboose with lights (R2 180% curve)
8 LGB gravel hoppers + 1LGB tail light (R2 180% curve)
Just be carefull how you re-assemble after servicing, (don't ask me how i know)
OOPS -
http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=150786&high=zil%
run slow and steady, and dont have problems with LGB R! or R3 points
well not on any of mine (40+)
A bit of TLC on a regular basis keeps them running smooth.
I have two older style with metal side rods (no box's)
10 Bachmann wagons + LGB caboose with lights (R2 180% curve)
8 LGB gravel hoppers + 1LGB tail light (R2 180% curve)
Just be carefull how you re-assemble after servicing, (don't ask me how i know)
OOPS -
http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=150786&high=zil%
KeithT
Hillwalking, chickens and - err - garden railways.
artfull dodger said:
Just had a closer look at the first one on offer. The 'drop link' next to the crosshead - I never remember its correct name - in the valve gear has either had a bash or is worn because it is angled upwards and back whereas it should be down and forward.
Compare it with the second lined loco.
stevedenver
Registered
well i will add some few months back i sought help because one of mine, NOS, had the angle of approach off on the upper piston , and first it bent then broke, on both sides
all because the bar that controls the entry angle can shift-
i since have learned these assemblies are nigh impossible to obtain
(im still looking altho i did a rather fine repair job, if i do say so-how long it lasts is yet to be known-basically drilled and replaced the tiny broken pistons with appropriate diameter steel rod-
considering how long most of us keep these things,
a few extra dollars up front will result in literally decades of enjoyment
all because the bar that controls the entry angle can shift-
i since have learned these assemblies are nigh impossible to obtain
(im still looking altho i did a rather fine repair job, if i do say so-how long it lasts is yet to be known-basically drilled and replaced the tiny broken pistons with appropriate diameter steel rod-
considering how long most of us keep these things,
a few extra dollars up front will result in literally decades of enjoyment
artfull dodger
Registered
the crosshead and combination lever probably got knocked over center, easily done in handling on the older engines. Both of my 2080's I used to have arrived with that issue. Easily fixed when I tore them appart to service the drives. Broken whistle is par for the coarse on older LGB. So easily broken when handling, espicaly in that early style box. Where it stands right now, the yellow box one, if it doesnt sell, he will let me have it for the 195 with shipping as I understand his email. The other one, will cost me 226 shipped to me. My $200 spending limit gets exceeded on the one with the striping. Keith, any reason why I shouldnt get the older one, other than the lack of power pickups on the trailing truck? I dont mind the minor cosmetic issues, I can deal with the valve motion and have access to parts. Any mechanical issues are of no importance, My Stainz is in pieces getting the main circuit board swapped for one that will take a MTS decoder. Mike
themole
tramways
Mike, the earlier version looks OK to me;- spares if you look hard, enough are out there. Also the correct low roof, is in my mind, a plus. Fewer models were made thus as LGB decieded to ruber ruller the roof height on latter models. In latter years only some of the grey painted models had the correct low roofline. Alyn 
DoctorM
Interests: Manifold
KeithT said:artfull dodger said:
Just had a closer look at the first one on offer. The 'drop link' next to the crosshead - I never remember its correct name - in the valve gear has either had a bash or is worn because it is angled upwards and back whereas it should be down and forward.(It is also missing the whistle)
Compare it with the second lined loco.
Easy to remedy but as I said possibly bumped and/or slightly worn. It happened on a couple of mine but was easily remedied and they still run fine.
This is a very common sight with second hand U class locos.
In fact the same fault exists on the second (red box) loco if you look at the picture of the right hand side.
artfull dodger
Registered
Nice pics of the U class, that one has a really wierd "squashed" smoke stack, very interesting. Never seen a pic of one with the lights mounted on top of the tank. What was the purpose of covering the center lantern, protecting the glass or did Austrian lines use lights as a head code like UK likes did, number and position of lamps indicating something. Mike
funandtrains
Registered
artfull dodger said:
If I remember the centre light was an old oil lamp left on after the two later side electric lamps were fitted. The cover had the loco's running number painted on at one time.
Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
artfull dodger said:
That's a Giesl Ejector, info on it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giesl_ejector
I've been thinking for a while about trying to make one (just a dummy rather than one to run with working smoke) to fit either a U or a Stainz, I like the look of them and there is something very "Austrian" about them to me (though other countries did use them too).
As referenced in the Wiki article, in one of Rev. Awdry's books (the Thomas books to all the young 'uns out there), one of the narrow-gauge locos (Peter Sam) got a Giesl fitted after his original stack was damaged - he hated it and all the other engines made jokes about someone having sat on his new funnel, but when he got out on the line he found how much better it was! I remember reading that when I was about three, and I still have my original books....
Jon.
artfull dodger
Registered
if one could make up a tappered funnel out of brass or copper, it could be flattened to make that stack. I wonder if someone made a short run of them, if they would sell? Definatly different and an eye catcher in the garden. I could see anybody with fleets of Stainz or U class wanting atleast 1 of them to set off one loco as being different. I would proabably get one. Mike
Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
artfull dodger said:
My thought some time ago was to make one in styrene (plasticard) using two half-round or half-tube sections for the front and rear, and then two triangular pieces of plastic between them to make the flat sides, with the whole lot then fixed to a cut-down "normal" LGB stack so that it could easily be fitted to any loco designed for the regular stacks. If I ever get round to trying it I'll post some pics!
Jon.
KeithT
Hillwalking, chickens and - err - garden railways.
Mikeartfull dodger said:
No I don't see any reason not to go for the earlier one if you should miss the lined one. Any issues are easily remedied. I would happily have either or both of them.
Spares do become available if you are patient. Wahrenreich-toys and Grootspoor often have them. Don't just wait for them to appear on Ebay go direct to their shops. I got my replacement valve gear from Grootspoor virtually by return of post. They also came up trumps with a tiny but essential valve gear component for my Feldbahn loco.
artfull dodger
Registered
Awsome Keith, I think my wife won me the yellow box one, couldnt come to an agreement on a shipping price for the other one. Mike
artfull dodger
Registered
I got the old yellow box engine today. The valve gear is amiss on the one side is due to the steam chest cover being missing. I think I might be able to fabricate one that looks close to original unless someone knows of a source for one. The little black valve gear part is broke off a bit short, but I think I can deal with that part as well vs paying for new valve gear which I am sure is hard to find and not cheap. He included a new whistle which I installed. The backpiece on the covered lantern was missing so I spun it around, just need to paint the hollow inside white and install a light bulb. Mike
Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
I've just looked again at the photo in post 24 of this thread, and you can see that the seller has been very sneaky with his photo - you can JUST about see that the valve chest cover is missing, but he's positioned the driver figure carefully beside the front of the loco so that it is almost hidden from view! Either it's a real lucky angle of shot (for him) or else it's deliberately concealing the fault, and I know which one I'd put money on..... 
Jon.
Jon.
artfull dodger
Registered
I can fabricate one, which I will probably do later today. Need to find a piece of tubing for the valve gear rod. I emailed Klaus at Traincraft by Klaus about parts. I have all the other issues taken care of. I enjoy returning a nice old engine to the rails. She will run again soon. Just have to fix someones hamfisted repairs first.
artfull dodger
Registered
I got all the issues delt with, made up a new steam chest cover out of styrene plastic sheet material. Made a valve slide rod out of some left over sprue from a building kit, drilled it out and epoxyed it to the remains of the little black valve slide, it in turn slides in the cylinder assembly. Not an exact match for the other side, but from 3 foot away, who can tell. The coal box fell off, typical old LGB glue, so I used my fav high strength double stick tape to put it back on. I lighted the middle lantern and tied it into the power circuit, also removed the motor block upper cover, relubed and retimed the drivers, lead axle was off by 1 tooth, not enough to cause an issue but I noticed it and corrected while it was appart. The engineer (hand painted!) was reinstalled in the cab with that same sticky tape. Trying to find my spare yellow light bulbs, have one front lantern out! Never fails, cant find it when you need it! Cheers Mike
artfull dodger
Registered
Here she is, your looking at the side that was missing the cylinder cover. I have some yellow stained glass paint that I will take to the bulb in the middle lantern so it matches the LGB bulbs. Mike
